The UW-System and UW-Madison will receive $32 million from the state as they prepare to welcome students back to campus this fall.

The money comes in addition to the $18.9 million Gov. Tony Evers allocated from Wisconsin’s portion of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to UW System campuses and the $95.6 million UW System institutions received directly through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the CARES Act.

“As campuses across the UW System prepare to have students return to campus, it is critically important that every campus has the resources it needs to help keep our students safe,” said Gov. Evers. “The COVID-19 pandemic brings great uncertainty and having robust testing efforts is one of the most important tools we have to help box in this virus and make sure our students stay healthy and safe.”

UW System will receive $24 million toward its COVID-19 plan, helping campuses to test symptomatic students, those who have had close contact with symptomatic students, and students living in residence halls. Under UW System’s plan, state funding will help purchase 276,000 tests, 246,000 of which will be allocated to campuses and 30,000 of which will be held in reserve by UW System for peaks or shortfalls.